If only one could close ones eyes and read at the same time! This article may well transport you to times when aeroplanes - model and full-size - were an all consuming passion for some people. Read and enjoy W. A. Smallcombe's wonderful history. It was written in about 1939.

"The Good Old Days"

Some time before 1914 I remember receiving a P.C. (Post Card!) from a pal saying that he supposed I was suffering from “Aeroplanitis". Here and now I confess that it has been a pleasant complaint for the last 30years at least. It was the Wright Brothers who stirred my imagination for I recall how I was thrilled to ecstasy when I read of their exploits - but I too, wanted to do things. One dark morning I remember cycling about 8 miles from Bristol to see Cody hop from a field and disappear into the mist. That settled it for me. With a few other Bristol enthusiasts I took part in testing a huge biplane glider at Bath. What a time we had. The seat was quite open and it took minutes to climb between the wires into it. The wheel axels were lashed on by means of cycle tyres to enormous ash skids. My first glide was a poor affair and mostly bumps - but when I landed at the bottom of the slope I did hear a cheer from the hill - and needless to add I was wearing my cap front to back in the approved style. The glider was really an enormous affair and of the 1-2-2 type. It took us about an hour to drag it to the top or the hill overlooking Bath. The sticky end it met was caused by a stall and sideslip due, I believe, to one of our stunters putting on right rudder instead of left to keep her into the wind.During the period 1911 – 1914 there was a strong band of enthusiasts at Bristol - the adults forming the Bristol and West of England Aero Club and we younger ones (Who did all the work and did not play Whist) formed the Model Section. Some of the names I can recall are Tivy (hon. sec.), Haines (hon. treas.), House, Smith, Norman, Edgar, Pearce etc. There were many others whose faces and models I would recognise now, but I cannot recall their names. Our indoor meetings were held at a large hotel in Clifton and we had the use of the Aero Club library. Each Saturday afternoon we flew or tried our models on Durdham Down near the Avon Gorge. There were invariably 12-20 members and as many machines. We used to travel on cycles or foot from many miles around, carrying the models in large triangular brown paper packages. Competitions were numerous and we took part in point to point, for distance, circuits, steering etc. Our star member was in my opinion Mr.House. He is, I am delighted to know, still going strong. He made lovely models with fine finish - and he could always make ‘em fly too. So much could not be said for all of us. Our good secretary was very advanced in his designs - but his buses would not just 'do their stuff' in the air.Of course twin and single screw pushers were dominant, but we did try many shapes and devices. Most wings were made of steel wire and silk covered, while fuselages were of the open type. Undercarriages - when present - were usually of an apologetic kind. Piano wire wings were very tough but difficult to make. one day I picked up a Japanese sun blind Made of split cane and there were enough lengths to make up many wings - including some for friend House, who thereupon produced an excellent tractor with backswept and up-turned tips which was a great advance in general design. Spruce was used for fuselage - Balsa was of course not known. Some remarkable machines I remember were, "Vessey" with circular wings; a bi-cylindrical plane; Dunne monoplane; Pterydactyl ; Bragg Smith; Pearce; Flemming Williams, Mann etc.. Screws were usually made of bent wood – Birch or Beech - with wide blades and heavy camber. We had carved screws and some were laminated - but the bent wood props seemed to win most of the competitions. Distances of 400 - 500 yards were quite frequent and more attention was paid to distance than seconds duration. Many propeller bearings were just L shaped pieces of' brass - old clocks were useful. One could not buy so much in those days and we had to make our models.Umbrella ribs were frequently put to use and there was always a demand for the discarded silk blouses of our lady relatives. Celluloid varnish was not used (or known) and we obtained the best finish on silk with copal varnish. Spirit varnish dried more quickly but was brittle. I do not remember a model being lost in a thermal but we often lost our planes over the Avon Gorge and Gully. Occasionally the club went to Landsdown and Bath to compete with the Bath Club. They had a Mr. Cross who flew twin propellor pushers fitted with a fin at the nose - and a wire bumper. These models were great flyers and took some beating for they always went off with the wind. The propellors were huge whitewood logs with a pitch “a la U.S.A.” - but could they push. Some of us used to pick up useful 5/- pieces in small envelopes as prizes.In 1913 we had a great meeting at the Bristol Zoo, when our first hydroplanes left the water and flew. The floats were identical with those now in use. We had gone through the process of trying out ping-pong balls and pieces of cycle tubing with valves tied in. There was endless scope for invention and I recall creating a hydro-terra-aeroplane - and she flew. The wheels dropped after R.O.W. and were held in the new position by metal ratchets, the release being arranged by means of threads unwinding off the prop. shaft. At Filton near Bristol the Club met several times but we little thought of that great company (Bristol Aeroplane Company) growing out of the little sheds. The last pre-war competition I remember was a grand one at Ashton, Bristol. Real fuselage machines were there. My old "Rook" showed its paces and won the 1st. prize in its class - as a matter of fact the prize money was sent to me 5 years later (1919) by our most excellent and honest Secretary, Tivy. The wings and a part of the fuselage are still in my possession. She won on design, R.O.G., longitudinal and lateral stability and landing. Particulars are:- Fuselage plus tail - 3 ft. Wing span - 3 ft. Chord - 5 in. Steel wire frame and "feathers" on tips - silk covered. Fuselage with 3 longerons of spruce and steel wire formers. Aluminium hinged inspection doors at nose and tail. Adjustable rudder and elevator flaps.Undercarriage of steel wire and cane skid. Rubber tyred disc wheels. 11 inch Walnut screw - carved. Rather fine pitch.Spindle of cycle spoke and having a little ballbearing.Motor of 8 strands of 1/4" flat rubber. Total weight about 8 ozs. There was also a looping contest and I believe House did 16 consecutive loops. My looper finished in an elm tree - where some months later I spotted its poor skeleton as I marched on the parade as a soldier. “Flight" and the “Aero” used to print accounts of our doings. How we thrilled to read of Mann and Grimmer and Houlberg (with his back swept wings) and other stars. Then came the War. During those few pre-war years I had seen great strides made in Aviation. I had personally met most of the great flying men – Cody, Bleriot, Latham, Grahame White etc. Can you imagine, my readers, how thrilled I was to shake hands with Cody? Other than my hop in the glider at Bath, my flying had consisted of dreams and models.1919 saw me back in England - shaken in some ways but still with "Aeroplanitis”. Here I connected up at Sheffield with Mr. Cudworth (who is also still going strong I understand). We flew models at Encliffe and we did try to form a club. To help the personal exchequer I made 3000 models of a pre-war type and disposed of them in Sheffield within two years. These planes were of' the 1-1P-0 type and I made 6 dozen complete planes between 6p.m. and midnight on several occasions. I found that I could sell as many as I could make - because I suppose they would really fly. As I have always hated repetition I was glad indeed to be a free amateur again. 1922 saw me still making and experimenting at Sunderland. Instructional classes were held for scouts and groups of blind children were also shown the wonders of the aeroplane by handling a specially constructed model. Since 1926 my activities have centred around Reading and my keenness has never wavered. Groups of boys have bean instructed at the Y.M.C.A. and elsewhere, and the 14th. Wing of the T.M.A.C. was formed - but it died. Now in 1939 there seems a hope that the R.D.M.A.C. may really get down to it in Reading. We have some promising members - the stalwart being E. Chandler, whose exquisite workmanship is well known. The club has had Films, Exhibitions, Instruction Classes, Competitions and have cups to win, but I am wondering how many really have Aeroplanitis - time will show. The development in petrol planes has intrigued me and I have been fortunate in building several fliers, including one carrying a 10 oz. camera. The plane is a straight forward high wing with a generous surface. Under the centre of the wing seating the fuselage is open and the camera, with lens pointing through a hole on the underside, is slung by aluminium supports. The camera is an old one which I purchased cheaply - there is no name upon it - but the shutter is excellent and self-setting by a trip device. Speeds are 1/50 and 1/100 sec. with apertures of F.8 and 22. A standard film pack of 12 exposures fits into the back of camera and allows for easy change by pulling the paper tabs. The shutter release is quite simple and consists of a strong waxed thread running from a projection on the moving arm of the timer and passing through a suitable hole in the top of the fuselage to the camera trigger. It is arranged that about 2 secs. after the ignition has been cut off, the thread releases the shutter and exposes the film. Upon landing it is only necessary to pull the tab of the film pack and set timer for another flight and exposure. The camera can be removed in a few seconds if desired. So far, circumstances have only permitted me to make 2 exposures and both were at a low altitude, but these have proved that the idea is a practical one and the plane does carry the camera alright - although it is only powered with a 2.5 cc Gnome engine. Total weight with the camera is 3 lbs.Now, as I look back over the last 30 years, I have memories of flying thousands of miles over clouds, sea and foreign lands. I have glided over the Dunstable Downs – and loved it all. Aero meetings and great pilots have added many thrills to my life and incidentally fulfilled my early dreams. The joy of making, breaking, devising, flying and instructing have been mine - but still ideas come to be tried out. Finally may I say how I enjoy attending a big rally and meeting a few old cronies, and feeling proud too of the success of the younger generation? Although a little "thin on the top”, I hope to carry on indefinitely with what I consider to be a fascinating hobby. Here's to old friends and "Aeroplanitis". Success to the Aero Modeller.